Bonjour Paris

 

So here I am one week later sitting in a cafe in Paris getting ready for a meeting with a French engineering company. I had to get up at 4am to catch the Eurostar train from St. Pancreas.

Yesterday I realized I had totally screwed up my return journey as I had not allowed for the fact that Paris was one hour ahead of London and my ticket is non flexible. I now have had to buy a whole new ticket at 230 Euro....I sure hope Alinean reimburses me!

It's hard to believe that this journey is less than two and half hours when I consider twenty plus years ago you would have to drive to Dover, take a ferry to Calais and then get a train which would take about three hours....so about eight hours collectively..of course, the other option was to fly but I guess we did not do that as much in those days...those golden olden days.

Gare du Nord still hosts it's impressive architecture unspoiled by time but now is surrounded by Romanian beggars which makes it a little less attractive. It is raining, just as it was in London so nothing of the exotic here other than the fact I am probably drinking a full fat latte as I did not know how to order skimmed in French. The reality is that the waiter probably speaks English better than I do but I need to air four years of high school French at some stage don't I.

It was hard to leave Andy in bed as I am used to it being the other way around and am actually blessed that my working day has changed dramatically. I am now working as a reseller for Alinean as opposed to a direct employee. It means my hours our my own, I work when I want to work and I can sample a semi retired lifestyle. Of course I can never mention the R word to Andy as although he says we are not to worry because he is working I don't come cheap in terms of support...a fact that he is well aware of!!

So I will continue to enjoy my latte for another 30 minutes watching the Parisienne world go by...I will then hail a taxi and head to Velizy.  I sure hope I am on my game today as I need woo six vice presidents ......and I need the business to help Andy support my R.